KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will be fielding their strongest line-ups for the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) 2024 at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam from February 13 to 18.

Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) coaching director Rexy Mainaky said the men’s team, who are the defending champions, will parade professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia, Ng Tze Yong, Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe in the singles.

The 2022 world champions, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, will lead the doubles challenge together with Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri.

According to Rexy, countries like China, South Korea and India will also be parading their best because the tournament offers qualification points for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"The competition this time is different from that of two years ago because all teams are making their final sprint (to qualify for Paris 2024) and will field their best players.

"I believe all coaches have studied their opponents’ weaknesses and strengths. Now it’s up to the coach to prepare the players for battle (BATC 2024),” Rexy told a press conference here today.

The Indonesian-born coach hoped Zii Jia could maintain his momentum after qualifying for the Indonesia Masters quarter-finals today while Tze Yong could give his best despite still recovering from back muscle injuries.

He is confident Aaron Chia-Wooi Yik could contribute points to the team and wants Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin to cut down on their mistakes which caused them to lose to Thailand’s Pharanyu Kaosamang-Worrapol Thongsa-nga 21-14, 14-21, 18-21 in the first round of the ongoing Indonesia Masters.

For the women’s category, Rexy said independent player Goh Jin Wei and top national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah would lead the country’s challenge.

Rexy said doubles player Anna Ching Yik Cheong has been ruled out by injury but her partner Teoh Mei Xing has been listed for the tournament.

Meanwhile, women’s singles head coach K. Yogendran hoped to see the women’s squad give their best this time after qualifying for the semi-finals in 2022.

The full team lists for BATC 2024:

Men: Lee Zii Jia, Ng Tze Yong, Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe, Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei, Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Choong Hon Jian, Muhammad Haikal Nazri.

Women: Goh Jin Wei, K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, Pearly Tan, M. Thinaah, Teoh Mei Xing, Go Pei Kee, Low Yeen Yuan, Tan Zhing Yi. — Bernama